


The End

by JoMouse



Series: New Year [5]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Foster Family, Alternate Universe - Vacation, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Don't copy to another site, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, New Year's Eve, New Year's Fluff, New Year's Kiss, New Year's Resolutions, New Years, Past Character Death, drunk driving (mentioned)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:20:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22059202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoMouse/pseuds/JoMouse
Summary: Liam and Zayn return to the Isle of Wight for their annual New Year's celebration, but this time they don't plan to be alone.
Relationships: Zayn Malik/Liam Payne
Series: New Year [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/619774
Comments: 12
Kudos: 21





	The End

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Laziam (MItCheLlInE)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MItCheLlInE/gifts).



> Happy New Year!
> 
> If all goes to plan, this should be published at 12:01 on 01-01-2020, welcoming you all to a new year that will hopefully be filled with all of the best things in the world.
> 
> This is dedicated to Chris because without them this series would've died several years ago, so it just seems right this instalment should be dedicated to them.
> 
> Big thanks to [Marie](http://quietzap.tumblr.com) and Jenn for being amazing betas, cheerleaders, and friends.
> 
> May this year and all the years ahead be full of love, laughter and everything you've ever dreamed of.
> 
> And as always with this series, please don't drink and drive.
> 
> xx-Joey
> 
> Don't know 'em. Don't own 'em. Don't show 'em.

Vaughn Reid stood at the railing of the ferry taking him to the Isle of Wight. One hand was buried in his jacket pocket clutching the tiny stuffed rabbit his mum had given him when he was born, or at least that's what everyone told him. He only knew he'd had the rabbit for as long as he could remember and now it was one of the only things he still had from his mum. His other hand was clutched in a pretty lady's hand. Penelope Hotchkiss was the nice lady from the government that had picked him up from the police station after his mum and dad went to heaven.

Since then, she'd taken him to a lot of different houses and lots of different mums and dads but he’d never stayed long. He wasn't supposed to listen, but he’d heard them telling Miss Penny that he was too sad and they didn't know how to make him happy. He knew the only thing that would make the sad go away was for his parents to come back from heaven, but Penny kept telling him that it wasn’t possible so he’d stopped telling people. She promised she would find him a new mum and dad, but he didn’t want new ones, he wanted the old ones back.

"Do you remember riding the ferry to the Isle last year?" Penny asked, drawing his attention away from the water. She wasn’t looking at him like she usually did when they talked, making him feel like he was important; her eyes on the cars that pulled onto the boat and he wondered what she was looking for in them. He nodded, remembering the puppies he'd played with and the really nice men that owned them. He didn't remember their names, but the one had let him and the puppies climb all over him and didn't get upset when Vaughn frowned. He pulled his hand out of his pocket and rubbed at the tip of his nose, the cold air hurt it and he hoped they would be able to go inside soon, even though he liked standing at the railing watching the water underneath the boat.

Loud noises startled him and he saw the men pulling up the back of the boat so it could start crossing the water to the Isle where he figured another family waited for him. He'd spent Christmas at a home with other kids without families, it wasn’t a bad place but it wasn’t a real home. Someone dressed up as Santa and brought presents and there was a lot of food and candy, but it wasn't the same as the Christmases with his mum and dad. 

He hadn’t heard from Ms. Penny in awhile, so he’d thought he’d be spending New Year’s Eve there as well. He’d been helping Ms. Tanner get the home ready for a New Year's Party when Ms. Penny had shown up and told him to get his stuff because she had a surprise for him.

Surprises always meant another set of mum and dad, sometimes they had kids already, sometimes they didn’t; either way, he knew he had to go and at least give them a chance. As he’d tried to imagine what this next mum and dad would be like, he'd gotten his stuff together and followed her to her car. When he'd seen the boat, he’d wondered if they were going to see the nice people with the little baby he'd stayed with the year before. He’d liked them and the baby was cute but the mom got too stressed when Vaughn and the baby would cry at the same time; he’d tried really hard not to cry but the woman had looked like his mum. He thought they might be giving him another chance and got a little excited about it, but when he'd asked, Ms. Penny got the sad look on her face and shook her head. "Just wait and see. It’s not them, but I still think you'll like who it is."

Vaughn heard barking and turned his head, seeing two dogs tugging on leads and heading straight towards him. Grinning, he looked up at Ms. Penny. "Can I?" She smiled, nodded and let go of his hand. He ran towards the dogs, screaming, "Doggies!" freezing when he got close, his mum’s voice talking in his head reminding him to ask if he can pet dogs first and not just hug them. He was glad he remembered because he usually forgot.

He followed the leads up and saw two men smiling at him, one with dark hair that was blowing across his face and the other with lighter brown hair and a bushy beard. He tilted his head and looked at the men and back down to the dogs, his grin growing. "I know you," he said.

"You remember us?" the man with the beard asked, squatting down so his face was on the same level as Vaughn's. He nodded and both men’s smiles grew. “Do you remember our names?”

"No," he whispered, fighting the frown that wanted on his face, not wanting the man to get mad and take the dogs away because he was sad.

"That's alright. I bet you've met lots of people since then," he said and Vaughn wondered if he knew about all the mums and dads that didn't want him. "We remember that your name is Vaughn Reid and that pretty lady you’re with is Penelope Hotchkiss. My name is Liam and the man talking to Ms. Penny is my husband Zayn." Something tickled inside Vaughn's head as he reached out to pat the top of the wrinkly-faced doggie that was licking his fingers. "That's Rhino and this," he tugged the other lead and the black and white dog that had been scratching at the railing, trotted over and sniffed Vaughn's feet.

"Loki!" he shouted, remembering now. "Like the Avengers and you got married last year!"

"That's right," Liam said, his smile growing. "Today is my and Zayn's one year anniversary and we're going to spend it at our cottage on the island like we have every year since we met."

"You don't live here?" Vaughn asked, frowning again. He had hoped that maybe the doggies were the surprise Ms. Penny had told him about, but if they didn't live on the island, they couldn't be because otherwise how would she have known they would be on the boat?

"They live in London," Ms. Penny said. "In a flat near your school." A lot of the kids who lived at the home went to a small school nearby and Vaughn wondered how she knew where they lived. He shrugged as he petted Loki’s ears and giggled as the dog licked his face. Maybe she was friends with them. 

"It's got an extra bedroom," the other man, Zayn, said. "And a couple of kids your age in the building with a playground behind it."

"That sounds nice," Vaughn said politely, unsure why they were telling him, but if telling him made them happy, he wouldn’t stop them. Rhino jumped up and knocked him down and he broke into giggles as both of the dogs started licking his face and then laying down on top of him, panting heavily. "Do the doggies sleep with you?"

"Only when Zayn's not looking," Liam whispered behind his hand, chuckling when Zayn made a funny noise and stuck his tongue out at them.

"We travel a lot." Liam turned his attention back to Vaughn. "So, I like cuddling the dogs as much as I can when I'm home, especially if Zayn is gone and I’m all alone."

"Don't you have a job?" Vaughn asked and then slapped a hand over his mouth. "I'm sorry, that was rude," he mumbled into his hand, dropping it and repeating the apology when Liam's brow furrowed. 

"It’s alright. You’re just trying to get to know me. I have a different kind of job. I write books," he explained. He reached into the bag that was sitting next to him and pulled out a couple of books that looked like they were for grownups and flipping through them he didn't see any pictures. "Here are a few of my early ones and this one," he showed him a thinner one with his photo on the back of it, "is kind of about Zayn and me." Finally, he pulled out a large flat children's book. "This one isn't going to be out until next year but I hoped you would let me know if you like it. I’ve never written a children’s book before this."

Vaughn took the book and studied the cover. A bright drawing of a little boy played with two dogs that looked a lot like Loki and Rhino. The boy had red curly hair like Vaughn's and he looked up to see Liam and Zayn studying him. "That looks like me,” he whispered, giving a small smile.

"I remembered meeting you last year," Zayn spoke up, squatting down next to Liam now. "I hope you don't mind that I used you for inspiration."

"I thought he wrote it?" Vaughn asked, opening the book and trying to read the words; most of them he was able to understand but there were a lot of them and he had to squint his eyes a little. 

"He wrote it and I drew it," Zayn explained and he looked back up at him, his eyes feeling better right away. "Of course, this is only a preview copy, so if you don't want to be in the book, I can redraw the boy."

He reached the end of the book and saw that the little boy was sitting in front of a Christmas tree with the two dogs, two men watching him, only their backs visible but they favoured the two men in front of him. Closing the book, he ran a finger over the title:  _ All I Want (for Christmas) _ . 

The wind picked up and a shiver ran through Vaughn. "Why don't we go inside and warm up a little bit." Liam held up a thermos. "I have hot chocolate. Do you like hot chocolate?"

"I'm not supposed to take gifts from strangers," Vaughn said, reaching up for Ms. Penny's hand. He looked up at her and she had her lips pressed together like she was trying not to laugh.

"We'll talk more inside," she said after a minute, leading Vaughn to the building on the ferry where there were seats for people to stay warm. They found a couple of empty spots and Vaughn crawled up next to Ms. Penny while Zayn and Liam sat across from them, the dogs curled up on the ground between them, falling asleep quickly. Vaughn giggled at Rhino’s snuffling snores and Loki’s twitching legs.

Liam poured hot chocolate into paper cups and handed two to Ms. Penny who gave one to Vaughn. He stared at it for a second, but she wasn't a stranger so it must have been alright. Zayn held up a bag of mini-marshmallows and Vaughn held out his cup, grinning. "Please." Zayn dropped in two marshmallows and Vaughn looked from the cup and back up at Zayn until he dropped in enough to cover the top of the hot chocolate.

They took a few sips and then he saw the men look at Ms. Penny who smiled down at Vaughn and nodded. "Vaughn, Ms. Penny has told us about all the families you've been visiting this year. Did you like them?"

He shrugged but the adults were all watching him, waiting for a real answer so he thought hard about his answer. "I liked them, but they aren't my mummy and daddy." He sniffed and rubbed at his eyes. "I'm sorry I'm sad." He tried to force a smile on his face but his lips wouldn’t work.

He saw tears in Zayn's eyes as he laid a hand over Vaughn's. "Are you sad because you miss them?"

He nodded, wiping at his eyes again. "They're in heaven. Someone was driving when they shouldn't have been and they crashed and mummy and daddy went to heaven," Vaughn told him. "And no one wants me to be sad." He chewed into his lip as Zayn released his hand to wipe at his own cheeks where tears were falling. Liam wrapped an arm around Zayn and hugged him close.

"I know it might be hard to believe, but I understand how you are feeling. Liam isn't my first husband," Zayn said. "I was married to another man named Dax." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Is he a nice man?" Vaughn asked.

"He was," Zayn answered. "Six years ago, someone who shouldn't have been driving ran a red light and hit our car..." His shoulders shook and Vaughn crawled off of his seat and into Zayn's lap, hugging him.

"Is he in heaven?" Zayn nodded against him. "I bet he likes my mummy and daddy."

"I bet he does," Zayn said, hugging him hard and crying and Vaughn let his own tears fall; if it was okay for a grown-up to be sad, then it must be okay for him. 

Liam ran a hand over Vaughn's back and made soothing sounds, but he thought they were more for Zayn than him but he listened to them anyway. For a moment, he felt like he used to when his mum and dad took care of him when he hurt himself or was sad about something. "Do you sing?" he asked quietly and Liam chuckled.

"Zayn and I both love to sing. Sometimes we having singing competitions while cooking dinner," he told him. "Anything in particular you want us to sing?"

"Do you know the Dumbo song?" Vaughn asked, looking up at them.

"I..." Liam trailed off, looking at Zayn with wide eyes and Vaughn's heart sank.

"Can you sing a few of the words so we can see if we recognize it? Maybe we don't know it by that name," Zayn suggested, wiping at his eyes again.

Vaughn fiddled with his fingers, reaching into his pocket to pull out the little rabbit, snuggling it to his face like his mum used to do with him when she would sing to him. His voice was hesitant as he started to sing quietly, "Baby mine, don't you cry. Baby mine, dry your eyes."

Liam's hand ran over Vaughn's hair and he smiled as he joined in with the song. "Rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine."

Zayn pulled Vaughn closer and Vaughn laid his head against his chest reaching out with the hand not holding the bunny to take Liam's hand as they continued to sing the song together. It wasn't the same as when his mum would sing to him but it still made him feel warm and when they were done singing, he whispered, "Again," and let the men sing on their own as he dozed off in their arms.

The bell rang through the speakers announcing their arrival at the island in five minutes and Zayn winced looking down at the sleeping boy before glancing up at the woman sitting across from him. "I don't think he understands yet," he said, pressing a kiss to the red curls before Liam helped him stand. 

"I'm going to have to wake him and tell him since I won't be accompanying you to the cottage," Penelope said, walking with them towards Liam's vehicle where a child's car seat already waited for Vaughn. "I'll let you get him into the car first."

Vaughn woke up when Zayn set him in the seat and looked around, confused. He started to flail until Loki jumped into the vehicle and laid his head in his lap. The boy ran a hand over the dog's head and looked up at Liam and Zayn who moved aside for Penelope to look into the vehicle. "Where am I going?" he asked.

"Well, Liam and Zayn would like you to come live with them," she explained. 

"They don't live on the island, though," Vaughn argued for a second and then grew thoughtful. "But they live in London. Will I live there?"

"You will and you will travel with them when they go out of town, like here to the Isle." She reached out and laid a hand over Vaughn's. "Is that alright with you? If you don't want to live with them, we can go back to Ms. Tanner."

He chewed on his lip and rubbed the bunny's ears between his fingers, giggling when Loki licked at the bunny. "Do you travel to Disneyland?" he asked and grinned when the adults laughed.

"We have been, yeah," Liam told him. "Is that somewhere you want to go?" Zayn smiled at his husband and the little boy, knowing they already had tickets to go to the theme park after the New Year. The purchase had been two-fold, if the best case happened and Vaughn agreed to live with them it would be their first family vacation. If, for whatever reason, the little boy decided he didn't want to live with them, the trip was to cheer them up.

Vaughn was quiet, rubbing his fingers over the small grey rabbit he'd pulled from his pocket. "I was supposed to go with my mum and dad." 

"Would you like to go with us?" Zayn asked him, glad now that they had made sure that a passport was arranged for him when they’d received word that there was a possibility for them to have him placed with them. "You don't have to. You can go back with Ms. Penny."

"I don't want to make you sad."

"Oh, sweetie," Liam said. "You doing what you want to do is what will make us happy. So, if you don't want to live with us, we want you to tell us."

Vaughn chewed his lower lip and looked up at them with wide green eyes. He looked past them to Ms. Penny and curled into himself when one of the attendants of the ferry came up and told them they had to get moving. "We don't want to rush your decision," Zayn told him, "but we have to get off the ferry and Ms. Penny has to go back."

"If I come stay, what if I don't want to later?" 

"Anytime you want to leave, you are more than welcome, but I hope that after you give us a chance you'll decide you want to stay." He reached over Vaughn to grab a rucksack and reached inside, pulling out an album of photos he and Zayn had put together. "These are photos of everyone in our families that would be your family if you wanted to stay."

"I can leave?" he double-checked.

"Anytime. Day or night. You say the word and we'll get in the car and take you back to Ms. Penny," Zayn told him. 

His jaw set into something determined and he nodded. "I'll go." He looked at Penelope and held his arms open. "Bye, Ms. Penny. Happy New Year."

Moving out of the car so Penelope could get in to hug him goodbye, Zayn pulled Liam into a hug of their own, relieved that he was trembling as much as he was. Zayn had been honestly worried the little boy wouldn't come home with them and knowing he was willing as long as he had an escape clause was a relief.

When Penelope was done hugging Vaughn, she shook hands with both Liam and Zayn so they could get into the vehicle and get off the ferry. They had been to the cottage earlier in the day to get the groceries and set up the spare room as much as they could for Vaughn's arrival; although they would be stopping at the store so the boy could pick up some more clothes because they wanted him to pick out things he liked. Zayn turned around in his seat to smile at Vaughn who was playing with the bunny and looking out the window.

"What's in there?" Zayn asked, gesturing to the black garbage bag that Penelope had put into the vehicle when she'd said goodbye.

"All my stuff," Vaughn told him. "Kids without parents always have bags like those." He shrugged. "Pyjamas, another pair of jeans and a shirt that Ms. Tanner gave me for Christmas, some socks and a photo."

"Who's that in your hand?" Zayn asked, gesturing towards the bunny, wanting to ask about the photo but the boy’s words had been so quiet that he chose to give him space to tell them himself.

"Dust Bunny," Vaughn responded, hugging the tiny rabbit to his chest. "My mummy gave him to me and I told her he reminded me of the dust bunnies under the bed and she laughed." He smiled. "She had a pretty laugh."

"Dax used to make funny voices and they would make me laugh," Zayn said and saw the look Liam gave him; he still didn't talk about his late husband very often but thought it might help Vaughn deal with his own grief to see someone else going through a similar situation. Penelope had told them that it might help to encourage the boy to talk about his parents instead of changing the subject as she’d told him some of the other parents had done.

"Do you miss him?" 

"Everyday," Zayn told him and Liam reached over to squeeze his hand, not surprised by the declaration and not bothered; he’d never wanted to replace Dax or make him forget and Zayn would be eternally grateful for that.

"You...you seem happy though?"

"I am," Zayn told him and rushed to continue when Vaughn’s frown deepened. "Although, when Dax first passed away I didn't think I ever would be again. Then, five years ago, this guy found me on the beach and I started to see a light at the end of the tunnel." He smiled at Liam, pinching when he saw the prideful smirk on his husband’s face.

"Are you magic, Mr. Liam?" Vaughn asked, his fingers running over the cover of the photo album, but still not opening it.

"No," Liam said. "I just care about Zayn and making him happy." He paused and then continued. "I'd like to be able to do the same for you, if you'll let me."

"Let us," Zayn corrected.

Vaughn didn't answer, opening the book and studying the pictures. Liam and Zayn exchanged a look but continued to drive, pulling up into the carpark near the shops in the main part of the village. Climbing out of the car, Liam opened the backdoor and reached for Vaughn who was already undoing the buckles on this seat, the bunny clutched in one hand hindering the movement. "Can I help?" Liam asked and Vaughn raised his arms and nodded.

Once out of the car, Liam watched Vaughn reach for Zayn's hand. He wanted to reach out and take the boy's other hand but he was still clutching the bunny so he fell into step behind them as they made their way to the clothing store. Entering, the bell over the door jingled and the woman behind the counter called out a greeting. Moving around the store, Liam noticed that Vaughn wasn't paying much attention to the racks of clothing, rubbing the bunny's ears against his lips and looking up at Zayn and over at Liam as they moved.

"Do you see something you like?" Liam asked when they'd made one full round of the store without anything being chosen.

"Me?" the boy asked, eyes wide. "These are for me?" 

Liam squatted down, laying a hand on Vaughn's shoulder. "Of course. We thought you might want to get some new things." He reached to his left and pulled out a button-up shirt with tiny grey bunnies embroidered all over it. "These look like Dust Bunny." Vaughn nodded and Liam held the shirt up to him. "Want to try it on?"

Vaughn took the shirt and looked around the store, smiling at the woman who pointed towards the dressing rooms in the back. "Why don't you pick a few more things before you go in there."

The boy was hesitant as he moved through the store, reaching a hand out and stopping just short of touching the clothes, his eyes shooting to Zayn and Liam who were giving him space to look but finally Liam went to stand beside him. "You can touch anything you want and pick whatever you like. Then you can try things on and we'll narrow it down." He glanced at Zayn who was smiling at them. "We already picked out some new pyjamas for you, hope you don't mind. Matching pyjamas is a New Year's tradition for us."

"And you want me to be part of it?"

"Of course," Liam told him. "As long as you want to stay with us, we want you to be a part of everything that we do." Vaughn ducked his head but both men caught the shy smile on his face as he reached out for one more shirt, this one with a picture of Woody on the front. "I had a Woody when I was a kid."

"Just when you were a kid?" Zayn teased and then clamped his mouth shut when Liam gave him a wide-eyed stare. "I mean-"

"Do you still have your doll?" Vaughn asked, pulling Dust Bunny out of his pocket and rubbing at its ears and Zayn breathed a sigh of relief that the innuendo had gone over the boy's head.

They continued shopping until they had a few bags full of clothes and headed to the cottage. When they got there, Liam held Vaughn’s hand as they stood back and let Zayn enter by himself, something Liam always did when they came to the cottage out of respect for Dax's memory. Vaughn didn't understand even when Liam explained, but he nodded and held the dog's leads while they relieved themselves in the front yard. Liam tried to hand the plastic bags to him to pick up the poop but Vaughn shook his head and giggled until Liam did it himself and carried them to the trash cans outside the house.

Vaughn went into the house when Liam was done, taking the dogs while Liam emptied the car of the bags. He frowned at the garbage bag full of Vaughn's belongings, grateful that Zayn had talked him into buying a suitcase for the boy; he'd foolishly thought he would already have one. He put Vaughn's bag and the bags of new clothes in Vaughn's room before following the sound of voices to the kitchen, hurrying his steps when he heard distress in Zayn's voice.

"What do you want to eat, then?" he was asking and Vaughn was stood with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. A plate with a ham sandwich and fresh vegetables was sitting on the island. 

"Not that," Vaughn said, his eyes glittering and Liam suspected this was the testing boundaries that they'd been warned about, but didn't want to push too hard and he could see Zayn struggling not to lose his temper.

"Do you not like ham?" Liam asked and Vaughn looked at him, shrugging. "Vegetables?" he picked up a piece of broccoli and watched Vaughn's lip curl. "Yeah, I'm not a fan of broccoli either."

He picked it off the plate and put it trash, noting Zayn's hurt look as he did so and Vaughn’s slightly panicked expression as he scurried up on one of the stools to eat the ham sandwich and vegetables left on the plate. He picked up a radish slice and sniffed at it, his tongue sticking out to touch it. His nose wrinkled again and Liam wanted to coo until it became a laugh when Vaughn popped the whole thing into his mouth and spit it out, hissing and waving a hand in front of his mouth. 

"No more radish," Liam said, grabbing the few slices on the plate and eating them himself, save the one that Vaughn had spit out that went into the trash. The boy watched him, his shoulders relaxing as Liam ate the radish and Zayn gave Liam a questioning look but he wasn’t sure what was behind the actions either.

Vaughn continued to eat while Liam dug through the fridge, pulling things out for dinner. They had decided on hamburgers and french fries for dinner and when he showed them to Vaughn, the boy nodded and took another bite of his sandwich. He ate about half of his sandwich before he started slowing down and Liam noticed him pushing the food around on his plate. "All done?"

"No. I can finish!" he said, shoving another bite in his mouth and looking a bit green as he chewed and swallowed.

"Love, if you're full it's fine. You don't have to finish," Zayn told him, reaching for the plate.

"No, it's a waste of your money," he said and lifted the sandwich again, but Zayn plucked it out of his hand and threw it in the trash.

"It's fine. We don't want you to be sick," Zayn assured him with a smile and Vaughn nodded and folded his hands on the island. "Do you want to go through your clothes and unpack?"

Vaughn climbed off the stool and reached for Zayn's hand, letting him lead the way to the room. Liam continued to clean up the kitchen and get things together for dinner. He kept one ear on the bedroom, the voices were too quiet for him to make out the words but the tone was positive so he didn't worry too much. He reached over and turned on the radio under the cupboard and hummed along with the Bruno Mars song that started playing. 

He was slicing an onion when he heard the shout. Dropping the knife, he raced towards the bedroom nearly knocked over by Vaughn who was running out, Dust Bunny clutched in his fingers and tears running down his face. He tried to stop him but the boy's shirt slipped from between his fingers. He stood torn between chasing the boy and going to see if Zayn was alright. He was about to take a step towards the bedroom when Zayn appeared, something in his hand and a damp face. 

"Zayn-"

"Go after him," he told Liam. "I have to take care of something here and I'll find you."

Liam nodded and turned on his heel, heading down the hallway, glancing back over his shoulder to see Zayn disappearing into their bedroom. Nodding, he turned again and hurried his step when he heard the door at the back of the house opening. He was nearly running when he hit the beach, stopping when he saw the small figure sitting in a very familiar spot. Slowing down, he walked down to sit next to him, relieved when Vaughn leaned against his arm.

Zayn looked down at the photo in his hand. It was of Vaughn and his parents and, thankfully, the tear that had occurred during transportation from the home to the cottage wasn't through any of their figures but the house in the background. He wasn't sure if Vaughn had even realized it, he'd pulled out one of the pieces and let out a scream like he'd been murdered and then raced out of the room. Zayn's heart had broken as he felt like he'd failed yet another test of fatherhood; something he'd always wanted out of life and he wasn't sure he was up to the job.

After Vaughn disappeared, Zayn had reached into the bag to find the other piece. He ran into Liam in the hallway, confident that he would go after Vaughn when asked, he headed into their bedroom. Once inside, he laid the two pieces on the dresser before crossing to the closet and standing on tiptoes to grab the box in the back of the shelf. Sitting on the bed, he opened the box and smiled at the photo of him and Dax from their first date. The frame was simple and black and would be perfect for Vaughn's photo. 

Removing the photo from the frame, a slip of paper fell out and fluttered to the floor. He finished switching the frame, relieved that the tear was barely noticeable. Kneeling, he picked up the paper that had fallen to the floor, his breath catching when he recognized Dax's handwriting. 

_ Zayn, _

_ Our first date is one of my favourite memories. It was a day that I never wanted to end and after you agreed to marry me, I knew it wouldn't have to so I wanted to let you know just how much I love you. _

_ Dax _

He smiled fondly and blinked back tears as a thought occurred to him. Reaching into the box, he pulled out the next frame, a photo of them from their honeymoon. Taking off the back, he found another slip of paper. This one talked about the sun in Ibiza and how much it reminded him of the warmth of Zayn's heart. Each photo had another note and he couldn't help but wonder when Dax had time to do all of that and if the photos he'd taken home at his flat in London contained notes as well and he made a mental note to check when they returned home; the box of photos stored in the back of the closet there.

Picking up Vaughn's photo, he moved into the living room, his eyes falling on the photo from their wedding sitting on the shelf. Crossing the room, he hesitated to open it, but did and another slip of paper was there. Picking it up, he unfolded it, this one a bit larger than the others.

_ My Darling Zayn, _

_ I know it's silly and I don't know why I never told you, but for my stag do, Teddy took me to see a psychic. He joked that it was to see if we should head for the hills or the alter. I thought it was a bunch of rubbish, but I went along anyway. The woman was not what I expected and the first thing she said was that I was to marry the one that called me  _ Jaan. __

_ The rest of her predictions were small things that barely register in my memory now, but the last thing she said to me scared me enough that when I think about it now, I knew I had to leave these notes for you. She told me that our lives together would be short, that on a night of great celebration sooner than either of us planned or wanted, I would be taken from this earth. _

_ I tried to laugh it off, but last night I had a dream of you crying, the photos of us spread around you on the floor at the cottage and I just knew it meant what she said was true, so I decided to leave you notes in hopes to alleviate some of your grief. I wanted them all to be short, but this one got away from me. _

_ I know if you are reading these, I'm gone from your life and I don't know how long it's been, but I hope you've found happiness again and if you haven't, I hope that you do. Please go search for it because all I've ever wanted for you was to be happy. _

_ You were a great husband and I hope you allow someone else to find that out and I hope that if we never got the chance to become fathers, that you found someone else to be a father with because I can't imagine anyone being a better father than you with your big heart and your love for life. _

_ I love you, babe, and I always will no matter where I am. _

_ Love to the moon and stars and back again, _

_ Dax _

Zayn sobbed as he read the words before he folded the note back up and replaced it in the frame; he would come back to it whenever he was feeling like he wasn't up to the task of being a great husband or father because knowing Dax believed in him, even from beyond the grave meant more to him than anything anyone else could tell him. Going into the kitchen he washed his eyes out with a bit of water and dried his face, relieved he didn't look too wrecked before he grabbed Vaughn's photo and headed out the back door to the beach.

Liam caught up with Vaughn about a hundred meters from the back door, sitting on the sand and squeezing and rubbing at Dust Bunny as he shivered against the cold. Dropping his coat over his shoulders, he sat down next to Vaughn. "Hi," he said, smiling at the memory that it brought back. "You know, I met Zayn in this exact spot five years ago."

Vaughn didn't say anything at first, just looked up at him, using Dust Bunny to wipe at his eyes. Liam was about to continue talking when he spoke up. "Tell me?" Liam nodded and launched into the story of him and Zayn from the moment they met until they'd decided the previous year to try and become fathers after they'd met Vaughn on the ferry. He listened intently, giggling each time Liam talked about spilling the champagne and gasping when he talked about their meeting on the ferry the year before. By the time he was done, the boy was smiling and Dust Bunny laid on his legs.

Zayn found them and dropped down next to Vaughn, smiling at Liam who furrowed his brow and pointed to his own eyes, noticing the faint redness of his husband's eyes. Zayn shrugged it off and handed a frame to Vaughn. The boy took it, his face lighting up as he looked at it. His small fingers ran over the glass, touching the couple who must have been his parents' faces. 

"You fixed it," Vaughn said, smiling up at Zayn.

"I did the best I could," Zayn told him. 

"It's perfect." He hugged the frame to his chest. "Do you think I'll forget them?" he asked after a minute.

"Never," Zayn said before Liam could open his mouth. "You might forget things about them, but you will never forget them or how much they loved you."

A smile broke over Vaughn's face and he leaned into Zayn who wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. It had gotten dark as they sat outside, the air chilly, so they headed into the house. While Zayn and Liam started cooking dinner, Vaughn sat at the island with the photo album asking questions about the people inside. He was especially interested in Liam's nephew, Ashton, who was a few years younger than him. He laughed as Liam shared stories and offered a few of his own in exchange.

By the time dinner was done, Dust Bunny had found his way to the sofa in the sitting room and Zayn was starting to feel like things might actually work out between them all. After dinner, they changed into their matching pyjamas, Vaughn's laughter echoing through the house as he stomped through the house in his dinosaur slippers that roared with each step. When Liam came out in the same ones, the boy actually fell to the floor laughing. 

The three of them curled up on the sofa and Zayn turned on the telly, something that didn't happen very often in the cottage, but Vaughn had asked about it. They turned on  _ Shaun the Sheep _ and giggled and laughed while sharing cookies and milk.

It was around eleven that Vaughn finally fell asleep and they debated carrying him to bed, but decided they would rather have him there with them when the new year started, so they covered him with a blanket and tucked Dust Bunny into his arms. Moving quietly, they shut off the telly and went into the kitchen to get the champagne and glasses for midnight. Liam grabbed the bottle of sparkling grape juice just in case Vaughn woke up and Zayn grabbed a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries they'd hidden in the back of the fridge.

Once they were back in the living room, they smiled where the dogs had joined Vaughn on the sofa, leaving very little room for Liam and Zayn. They discussed moving to the chairs, but the sofa was as much a part of their traditions as anything else in the house. Carefully, they moved Vaughn from the centre of the sofa to one end, the pups following him until they curled together enough to only take up one of the cushions.

Zayn grabbed the clock from the mantle, setting it on the coffee table. He watched as Liam carefully took the top off the sparkling grape juice, only a bit sad at the absence of a cork and the risk of Liam spilling on another square of carpet. That year for Christmas he'd presented Zayn with a shadowbox containing the swatches from their first and third years together that Zayn had thought were lost when the carpet had been replaced.

Pouring the juice carefully into the glasses, he set the bottle down and picked up the glasses and settled onto the sofa, grinning when Zayn straddled his lap, resting his arms on his shoulders and pressing their foreheads together. Liam held out one of the glasses to him and grinned before glancing over his shoulder at the clock. "We have five minutes. Resolution time."

"To be the best father I can be," he said. "You?"

"Same," Liam agreed, laughing and pressing a kiss to the tip of Zayn's nose. "I just want him to be happy and stay with us." His eyes were on Vaughn who let out a small sigh and shifted on the sofa, Dust Bunny falling from his arms. Loki raised his head looking around and spotted the bunny. Stretching, he picked it up gently in his mouth and set it underneath Vaughn's chin. "I think the pups want that, too."

"I never thought..." Zayn started, trailing off, smiling when Liam wiped at his eyes. He swallowed and told Liam about the notes he'd found and his heart squeezed as he saw tears in his husband's eyes. 

"I'm glad Dax is still there for you," Liam told him. "Although I guess I should be jealous."

"Nothing to be jealous about," Zayn told him, glancing over his shoulder at the clock as it clicked to 11:59. "Sixty seconds."

"Already have the resolutions out of the way, so I'll just say, 'Happy Anniversary.'"

"Happy Anniversary," Zayn returned, kissing Liam quickly on the lips and then smiled. "10..."

"To many more years. 9..."

"To many more mornings. 8..." Zayn pressed their foreheads together again, careful not to spill the drink he was holding, feeling Liam's hand rubbing gently over the small of his back.

"And many more nights. 7..."

Vaughn grumbled and blinked his eyes open. "Hey. Almost midnight. 6..."

The boy's eyes perked up and he moved closer to them, one hand resting on each of their shoulders as he knelt on the sofa. "5?"

Zayn nodded and Liam chuckled, knowing the count was a bit off now and not caring, even as the fireworks started outside. "4..."

"3!!" Vaughn shouted, giggling.

"What do you want to do next year?" Zayn asked him. "2..."

"Go to Disney World!" he shouted before realizing and adding, "1!!!!"

"Happy New Year!" the three of them shouted together and Liam shared his glass of juice with Vaughn before the boy went to kiss the dogs and race around the house shouting, “Happy New Year!” to the world.

The kiss Liam gave Zayn was chaste but the smile was sly. "I think he's here to stay."

"Just like me," Zayn said. "Here to stay until the end." The next kiss was less chaste, promising things to come after their son was put to bed.

**Author's Note:**

> Here is the inspiration for DustBunny:  
>   
> ([img link](https://www.ultraimg.com/image/thtd))
> 
> In case it wasn't obvious from the title, this series has come to an end. I'm going to miss this tradition of mine, but it just leaves open the door for a new tradition and a new 'verse next year.
> 
> (And, of course, I have said it was over before so don't count the muses out, I just want to prepare everyone, just in case.)
> 
> Come say hi on tumblr! I'm josjournal.


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